William a



(N0 Modei.)

- W. A. SPARKS.

BURIAL GASKET. No. 289,783. Patented'Dec. 4, 1883.

5o Othat bounds the slot,

jection being used on UNITE STATES PATENT EErcE.

WILLIAM A. SPARKS, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BURlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,783, dated December 4, 1883.

Application filed September 10, 1883. (No models) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SPARKS, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, assignor to THE STEIN MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, of the same place, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Burial-Gaskets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom view of the lid. Fig. 2 is a top view of the casket with the lid removed from place. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through one of the fastenings that secure the lid to the casket. Figs. 4 and 5 are end elevations of the two plates that compose the fastening. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section in line 00 cc of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a plan of the lower plate, 0.

My improvement relates to concealed fastenings for the lids of burial-caskets, and in general construction is similar to the device shown in Patent N 0. 191,995, a slotted plate being used on the casket, and a bearing or prothe lid, which engages therewith to secure the parts together.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings, A shows the casket, and B the lid. 0 O are the plates attached to the top edge of the casket, and D D the corresponding plates attached to the under side of the lid, said plates constituting the concealed fastening.

The plates 0 are slotted or cut out in the center, and a tongue, re, turned down, forming an inclined way upon which the roller of the upper plate runs. This tongue is preferably made of the wedge shape shown in Fig; 7, but, if desired, may be made of the rectangular form indicated by dotted lines.

The plate D, which is attached to the lid, has a downwardly-projecting lug or bearing, b, which forms a bearing for a friction-wheel, c, that rests and rolls on the inclined tongue a as the lid goes to place. The friction-wheel is of such size as to fit closely but easily between the tongue and the edge (2 of the plate so that there is no the wheels will run over loose motion; but when fully down, as shown in Fig. 3, the wheel rests under said edge and is held by it against rising, so that in addition to serving as a friction-Wheel, it also serves in place of a hook to fasten the lid in place. The front edge of the lug b is square, as shown at b, and serves as a stop, striking the edge 02, and thereby limiting the motion. This lug is also wedge-shaped vertically, as shown in Fig. 4:, the apex being at the bottom, and in case the slot in plate 0 is made wedgeshaped, as shown in full lines, Fig. 7, this lug b is also made wedge-shaped in horizontal section to correspond, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The operation is as follows: The lid is adjusted over the casket, with the rollers resting back of or on the inclined tongues a a, and the lid is then pushed endwise,

down the incline, and at the end of the movement the lugs b b strike the edges d d, and the rollers pass under said edges and lock the lid in place. Some fastening device is required at the end of the casket to prevent the lid from sliding back. The tongue a is of such width at the rear or outer end that the roller is sure to start in the proper position, even if placed on one side, and then the device is self-centering, by reason of the wedge form of the lugs b therollers passing b, which, by sliding on the edges of the slot, 0

always bring the lid to place. By this means a single person, standing at one end of'the casket, can adjust the lid to place or remove it without difficulty. As the lugs move down in the slots they tighten in place, and at the end of the movement they fit so closely in the slots that there is no lateral play. The rollers not only serve as friction-wheels, but, by projecting forward in advance of their bearings, they serve as the hooks to catch under the plates of the casket and prevent the lid from being raised. These rollers are of much service in cloth-covered caskets, where, to preserve the beauty of the casket, the cloth is madeto cover the plates 0 0, as, in that case, the cloth without wrinkling, tearing, or wearing it, whereas stiff hooks are liable to produce injury. In applying or removing the lid the rollers run over the incline the whole extent of the movement, and there is no horizontal movement of I00 the lid; therefore the friction on the cloth is removed.

This invention is applicable to boxes and receptacles having a lid, as well as to burialcaskets.

If desired, the plates 0 D may be reversed, the plates 0 being attached to the lid and the plates 1) to the top of the casket, in which case the wheels would be stationary in position and the inclines move up and down over them. The same effect would be produced in either case.

Having described my invention, I clain1- 1. In a burial-casket or other receptacle having a lid, the combination, with the receptacle and lid, of a plate attached to' the receptacle provided with a slot having an inclined bottom, and a plate attached to the lid provided with a bearing having a wheel, the wheel serving as a friction-wheel and as a catch to hold under the edge of the slot, as set forth.

2. In a burial-casket or similar receptacle having a lid, the combination, with the receptacle and lid, of a plate attached to the recep- 

